Happy Valentines Day!

Sewing Love from  Woman's Day Magazine,  February 1978

It is a lot of fun looking through old magazines.

   

     These publications give us some insight into what were  important issues at the time.

It appears that some things remain the same.

                    ....some of the wording cracks me up!

• "the lifesaver meals for days when your reputation as a cook are at risk but your time is at a premium!'
•  "In an era when love rather than marriage is usually the prelude to sex,  a mother might do well to explore and explain these distinctions to her daughter."   
• " How to Sensitize  The Insensitive Man"...

How to deal with rising cost of living was discussed... methods to lower your utility bills and  perhaps cooking  more with beans  would certainly help!

There were also tips on dressing to look slimmer and make up advice on contouring our face.  Subject matter that's still  around 40 yrs later!  

YUP... we are broke, very busy and still haven't lost that last 5lbs we acquired at Christmas.....whats new!

On the positive side, Sewing garments and DIY projects for the home were quite popular! 

                Here is a Valentine project you might enjoy trying.

This nifty cover up is marvelously versatile and can be sewn in 90 minutes!     1 pattern piece, 1 seam to sew? 

                                          

                                 I just might give it a try!

New, Quicker, Easier!     

The Butterick Pattern Company and Dacron & Qiana had just what we needed to put together the perfect travel wardrobe!

        Fast and Easy patterns sewn in stretchy, wrinkle free fabrics! 

 The patterns released in 1978 included free Quick Tips! 

     Timesaving tricks for...

• working with soft fabrics 
• topstitching
• making casings
• creating instant gathering        ...etc. 

I had 7 of the 15 patterns featured in the promotional ad. 

                    I love these styles!

Answer the skill testing question and you could win a trip to Hawaii !!... unless, of course,  you are colorblind!   Hmmm   

Well, that's enough Rambling for this week.  

I am off to put a new zipper in a winter coat  

 Oh the reality of the Canadian February!

Hope you all get lots of snuggles and kisses on this very blustery Valentines Day!

Dreaming of Palm trees and pineapple chunks,

Deanna

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#2018makenine - Project 1 - Embracing the 70's!

After spending a month...

• plotting my 2018 projects
• tidying my sewing space
• sorting my fabric stash
• and filing patterns...

 I finally got around to sewing! 

First up is...

                  Simplicity 7267 from 1975

 I've had my sights on this pattern for a year now and just never seemed to get to it.   

I love the sweetheart neckline, cap sleeves and that wrap around collar!  So flattering !

The pattern was missing its instruction sheet but that's fine, I have been sewing long enough to figure things out.  At least all the pieces were there!  Yay!

I had a few scraps in my stash to use that were JUST the right amount with  nothing to spare and had the correct color thread ... it's a miracle!

Bad start... my serger decided to bail on me and I knicked my scissors on a pin...  Sheesh!

But HEY!    I didn't even have a serger in the 70's,   so I soldiered on with a pair of cheap scissors for cutting and used the stretch stitch on my machine... No prob!

Top 1

The whole process took about an hour and a half. 

* I shortened the back length by 1/2" 

*  no edge finish was needed

* I used a double needle for the hems  

Although the pattern measurements are the same as mine, I found the T-shirt a wee bit too large and the neckline too low.  

 (I forgot about Negative ease, this will be an easy fix though.)

 

I used the neck facings for this top.

Top 2...

Pattern changes for this top

  

To raise the neckline ~

* I folded the top    shoulder edge down by  1/2" on the front and  back pieces 

* turned under 1" at the  center back of the  collar piece.

               

*  and used a flat felled seam to finish the neck edge.

* used a 3/4" s.a on the side seams

 This is a great pattern!   Easy to sew and looks super cute on !!

This pattern is available in several Etsy shops. 

Do give it a try.

You can follow me on Bloglovin' as well

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Needlework Magazine January 1928

                              Inspiration from 1928

     I found this magazine about 15 years ago at the second hand store in Vermilion, AB.  

   I thought it would be fun to share some of the images with you.      

   

 The artist who did the beautiful cover was Alice Beach Winter.  She was born in Missouri in 1877 and worked from about this time, '28, right up into the 1960's. 

 I couldn't find a photo of her but I would love to learn more about her.  (*That's a project for another time though.)

I love the silk kimono Mom is wearing.  It would be a far sight more comfortable than the knit number that she made for her son

In the upper left hand corner is the name of the gal that subscribed to Needlework Magazine. 
 Miss Laura Schneider from Charlotte, Saskatchewan.  Google searches were not bringing up any information about the location of Charlotte. I was getting pretty frustrated when I had a brain wave. 

My mother in law,  EllaMae has a book called... 

What's In a Name?: Saskatchewan Place Names

by E.T. Russell

ISBN-13: 978-1895618983

and she found this!   

    

This long lost "Charlotte" was a bit north and west of where I now reside.

      What are the odds?

*Now I want to know more about Laura and where she lived.   

Another project for a future date!

The instructions for the sweater, scarf, leggings and cap are here.

What all the well-versed folks were reading!

The ad reads  - take this "pleasant morning and night precaution" during the cold weather.    Did they ever taste the stuff?  Yuck! 


My favorite part of the magazine are the patterns!

 A variety of projects here ... 
 Crochet

                                               Cutwork

                                                         
                                           Embroidery

                                                               Hemstitching

Add caption

Yummy!

  Home Decor ideas

Yarn accessories

The promises some of the ads make are questionable to say the least!    Lol

 

and some ads were encouraging!

Oh, I wish I knew what patterns Laura bought or longed for!

Did she embroider tablecloths and crochet doilies to adorn  her future home?

Maybe I will find out!

• Happy New Year!

Yup,  I am a day late and a dollar short.

As usual... time escapes me but my new years  "aspiration"  should help with this.

There are several Bloggers and Vloggers out there sharing their Organiser Journals for 2018. I hope that by following their lead,  I too,  can stay on task.                  

                             So here's to a productive year!

I have made a short, manageable list for myself.

                               2018   Re-Sew-lutions 

 *  Sew more for myself  ~ 

... you'd think I would have a complete "Me Made" wardrobe. 

 Not so much!  Generally my time is spent on custom work.

                                     #2018makenine for me

I will post project details for each as I work on them.

 *  Take a classes to expand my skills  ~ 

I have purchased a few Craftsy classes. I am especially excited about the Pattern drafting and Pattern grading classes! 

 *  Write on this Blog on a regular basis  ~  

1 post a month at a regular scheduled time.  This should be attainable for me.  Sharing my projects with others and getting their input will help keep me accountable.

 * Vlogging ... tentative  ~  I love vlogs.  Should I give it a whirl?

A Blog is a lovely way for Family and Friends to follow along through out the year.  If a few more people are interested in joining the conversations..Sweet!    The more the merrier!

You will hear from me again at the end of February...unless by some miracle I manage to write more.  

Really,  I will get to those coveralls...  eventually!

I thought I should keep you in the loop.

   A Hawk Girl costume project ( Silver version) swooped into my sewing room last week.    My daughter has been working on the headpiece and is buying red leather boots to adorn.   She needed me to sew the body suit.  (its nice when your kids still need you) :)

  Man,  that fabric (spandex and some rubbery stuff) was interesting to work with.  I need to dig out the walking foot and learn to use it once and for all!

 I  modified the pattern up a bit to achieve the right look which created some challenges getting things to line up .   I learned about negative ease!    

                                                       All in all, it looks pretty good.

I will share pics of the finished outfit when Taylor sends them to me.

Before I can work on the coveralls,    I need to make a 6 Era Apparel outfits for a Foodbank fundraiser event, June 6 in Lloydminster,SK.  

So I better get at 'er!  

I'll show you what I came up with in a few days.

New Garden Duds for me!

 Let the fun commence? May 22,2014

 Well, talk about a slow start, but better late than never I always say!

   I need to do more sewing more for myself. You might think that everything in my wardrobe was made by me...but I spend so much time sewing for others that I rarely  get around to ME.

Well, that's about to change. 

I have decided to join Susanna Martin in a 

Vintage Sewing challenge.

 #vintagepledge2017! 

(and I am gonna figure out this blogging thing once for all! Lol)

The first project I have chosen is a Wearing History pattern  R104 for WW11 overalls. I chose to buy the e-pattern because I couldn't wait to start.  

                           

                                                    

The lady that owns this company is an absolute Doll!  

 She deserves our support. Check her out on Etsy.

The site is easy to navigate and the download was easy as well.

 There are 3 size packs available. Bust sizes from 30"-46"

So my pages are printed out and I am ready to assemble them.

I will keep you posted on the progress.